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The
Effects of Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease eventually affects all aspects of a person's life:
how he or she thinks and acts. Since individuals are affected
differently, it
is difficult to predict the symptoms each person will have,
the order in which they will appear, or the speed of the disease's
progression.
In general the following will be affected by the disease:
Mental
abilities
- A
person's ability to understand, think, remember and communicate
will be affected.
- The
ability to make decisions will be reduced.
- Simple
tasks that have been performed for years will become more
difficult or be forgotten.
- Confusion
and memory loss, initially for recent events and eventually
for long-term events, will occur.
- The
ability to find the right words and follow a conversation
will be affected.
Emotions
and moods
- A
person may appear uninterested and apathetic, and may quickly lose interest in the hobbies they previously enjoyed.
- The
ability to control mood and emotion may be lost.
- Some
individuals are less expressive and are more withdrawn.
- However, it is now becoming clear that a person even in the later stages of the disease may continue to feel a range of emotions including joy, anger, fear, love, and sadness.
Behaviour
Changes will develop in the way the person reacts to his or her environment. These actions may seem out of character for the person. Some common reactions include:
- repeating
the same action or words
- hiding
possessions
- physical
outbursts
- restlessness
Physical
abilities
The
disease can affect a person's physical co-ordination and mobility, leading to a gradual physical
decline. This will affect the person's ability
to independently perform day-to-day tasks, such as eating,
bathing and getting dressed.
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